Differences in CM rates all over the country when there is a ntional minimum wage. Discuss.

[KaySamuels]

Where I live I can only charge a low hourly rate for childminding or I simply do not get any business. Yes it is a poor area. But not that poor as everyone gets minimum wage.

Presumably if you fill your quota of children, then you will also be earning the minimum wage (or more indeed).

Minimum wage doesn't apply to the self-employed in any event.

Yes, I charge £3.50 per hour (SW) because, altough very well-qualified and experienced, the market will not allow it. And I'm expensive for my area

You are confusing the hourly rate PER CHILD with the hourly rate you can earn with several children. Also as soapbox said, the minimum wage only applies if you are employed by someone. You are self employed so you set your wage. The market condistions have nothing to do with it.

Erm no I can only mind two under fives (my ds is 3yrs old), so if both my places were filled by two full time children, I would still be earning less than minimum wage before expenses.

I mentioned minimum wage in terms of the parent's earnings (although obv they too may be self employed!), in some areas childminders cannot charge over a certain amount or they simply won't get any mindees. The area I live in is classed as an area of social deprivation, but also one of the cheapest places to live.

I have just noticed this mentioned on a few threads recently, so thought I would open up a discussion.

I think I am worth a lot more than £3.50 per hour, but I will not find work if I charge at a higher rate, because the local market charges less per hour.

No confusion over minimum wage, that's a while different thread

grrrr whole

I am fortunate enough(?) to live in the affluent SE so can charge a higher rate £4 to £4.30 per hour but then our costs of living are probably proportionately higher than some other areas. I know some parents do struggle to pay for childcare even with Tax Credits especially if they are on a minimum wage but it is possible. I earn a good living as a childminder, my dh is at present between jobs having been made redundant after 33 years with the same company (they shut down their UK factory) and is now job hunting, we are expecting him to have to take a possibly substantial pay cut, but hope that it won't affect us too much.

I wasn't very clear in my OP was I?

Ho hum.

I am not very eloquent so can't get my point across smoothly, maybe someone else will come along who knows what I am on about!

i live in a pretty poor area of london, pay cm about £5.70 an hour (i pay for days not hours). it is expensive to live here.

That is expensive fishie! How do you manage?!

I think to be fair though that for comparable purposes you would have to include your own child in your calculations. Someone who is earning the minimum wage would ordinarily fund her childcare out of her net wages and so to be on the same basis you should allocate out the cost of your own child. If you like it is the amount you are capable of earning in any hour.

You could of course look after a whole herd of over 8s and end up with a phenomenal hourly rate, should you choose to do so

Good lord, £5.70! The norm around here is £3.50-4, I am at the low end of the spectrum for charging. Now with the two I am allowed that is technically more than minimum wage but in the SE I agree things are more expensive - our mortgage by far for example.

I also am not allowed to have the full quota due to my own children and because of the village demographics before/after schoolies are not possible. (I live in a village where most mums stay home) So I have 2, one is p/t and one is 4 days so I am not making my full potential, but that's life. And even more unfortunate is when my baby comes I am only allowed 1 under 5 and 1 over 5 so I will only have the earning potential for 1 basically. Not ideal

Kay, I get you

I think what Kay is trying to discuss is that CM in say Fife charges £3 per hour and CM in say Bristol charges £4 per hour and CM in Northumberland charges say £.50 per hour.

There are many factors in play here, affluent/deprived area, local rates of employment, demographic.

It's interesting

The nOrthumberland one should say £2.50 per hour. Sorry

see my post soapbox, no over 8's round here or even over 5's! I do agree with you however, about the earning potential does include my own children. What I save staying home would certainly make a difference here. I think in MY circumstances it would be the same as going out to work full time and paying out childcare. And I get to stay home - so it's a choice in my example anyway.

But isn't that the same as a secretary in Fife earning £10000 a year, one in Bristol earning £14000 and one in Northumberland earning £16000. It's just the way that local markets work. There is nothing unusual about CMers in that regard.

well we don't manage really. don't get anything from tax credits (another overpayment victim) we are utterly skint but i am getting promoted so hopefully at least we won't be in deficit any more.

she is the most wonderful cm and is really a bargain so i have nothing to complain about there. just need to get richer....

I am backing away, my cold muddled head is getting confused!

Yes soapbox, that's quite right.

It's just that we're nosey abut what rates are charged nationally, more than anything

Yes I thought we could just discuss and compare, Boysarelikedogs is correct, I was simply nosey interested.

I can feel people getting tetchy when I just wanted a chat/comparison/friendly discussion with other people.

I am not bemoaning my finances. I am better off financially childminding than I am working full time out of the house, that wasn't my point, I was simply intrigued.....

Will pop back later have to give ds his inhaler and put him to bed.

Take on more children?

Oh I wasn't tetchy at all - just thought it was important to look at it in context with people on minimum wage. But comparing rates sounds much more fun

fishie I have been overpaid by tax credits in the past too, they are a joke, have managed for almost 2yrs with nothing from them due to overpayment, but thankfully will be back to basic element from April. You sound lovely, nice to hear you value your childminder so much, congratulations on the prommotion.

In my borough it rages from £3 - £7 per hour. Like you say though Katy, if I charge the top end, I just won't get the business.

If I earnt 5.52 an hour - I would earn £287.50 a week

If I put this into entitled too I would get £154 TC & CTC a week with before & after school care plus holiday care costing an average of £118 a week (based on what I charge for childminding)

So I would get £441.50 a month week less £118 C/Ming balance £323

Gosh I need to give up childminding & haven't broken even yet this year